Rights advocate to lead CdA institute

In some ways Rhys Johnson is the essence of diversity.

He speaks six languages, his mother is from Calcutta, his father is English and he has worked to deliver human rights around the world, including the Middle East.

Now, as the recently hired executive director of the Human Rights Education Institute, he is making Coeur d’Alene home.

Arriving fresh from a seven-month assignment to build a judicial system in East Timor, Johnson, 38, is enthusiastic to help set a human rights vision not only for Coeur d’Alene and North Idaho, but the entire Inland Northwest and perhaps internationally.

And that vision includes a lot more than just telling the story of how Kootenai County conquered and bankrupted the Aryan Nations. It’s about ensuring that hate never can get another foothold in the region.

And it’s about focusing on a larger definition of human rights, which can include everything from poverty, homelessness, drug abuse, domestic violence and women’s rights.

“These are all human rights issues,” said Johnson during a press conference Wednesday at North Idaho College to announce his hire. “In our pleasant society where we have Hudson Hamburgers and go off in our car, we don’t see that.”

He wants the institute to develop an education program that would work with school districts, provide workshops and speakers to help people understand acceptance and for communities to absorb and respect diversity.

Even though Johnson has worked with international conflicts, he said strife exists locally – not just over race and gender issues, but over environmental and other issues, too – and that people must begin to communicate with each other despite their differences.

“It’s important that America has that sense of community that’s here in Coeur d’Alene and the Inland Northwest,” Johnson said.

“We need to accept differences but still make decisions. We need to think about the environment and future generations.”

The Human Rights Education Institute hired Johnson after a two-year, worldwide search that snagged 80 applicants.

Part of Johnson’s duties will be overseeing the creation of a Human Rights Center planned for the edge of City Park where the old battery building sits.

The institute is raising money to match the $1 million donated by Greg Carr, an Idaho native and former chairman of Prodigy Inc., to realize its vision and build the center.

Until then, Johnson will work from office space in the Coeur d’Alene Mines building. The institute plans to soon hire another staff person.

Coeur d’Alene was an attractive move for Johnson, who said he is tired of war zones and wants to learn how to ski.

“He’s a collaborative person,” Institute President Tony Stewart said. “He brings people together and is very modest, humble and sincere. He can do remarkable things.”

Stewart said the bankruptcy of the Aryan Nations and recent death of leader Richard Butler has closed a chapter in North Idaho. People are ready to move on and address areas of human rights that were often overshadowed by the Aryan Nations presence, he said.

Johnson, who has an international law degree, grew up in London in extreme poverty of the kind depicted in Charles Dickens novels. As a child he experienced violence, prejudice and injustice – all things he said led to a career in human rights.

“People should live happily and develop happily,” Johnson said. “That’s what human rights is about.”